Dark Guardians
by baby-kitsune9
Summary: Casey's past as a former mafia hitman has come back to haunt him in the strangest of ways. Suddenly finding himself legal guardian of his former bosses daughter- he had to leave his pregnant wife and his friends behind or they would be in danger. But that won't stop our favorite heros from trying to find and help their run away friend. eventual turtle/oc lovin. R&R please.
1. Chapter 1

He sat up in the bed he shared with his newly pregnant wife April, his skin and dark hair damp with sweat as he heard the faint buzzing sound coming from the bedside table again. The same buzzing that had woken him from the bloody nightmares of his past. Looking wearily over at the table he noticed the sleek black cell phone that he had kept from his youth and saw that it was buzzing when it shouldn't be.

He hadn't used it since he had left- _No!_ He couldn't think about that right now.

In fact he'd be perfectly happy to never think of all the people he'd killed back then ever again. Sadly however, the persistant buzzing of his phone wouldn't stop. And if he didn't at least see what the hell the orginization wanted then they would send people to his new home and disrupt his new life further.

Looking over his shoulder at his wife, sleeping soundly with her vivid red hair spilling across her pillow, his chest gave a sharp pang as he grabbed the cell and quietly stood up and left the room. Using the same stealth skills that he had hidden since he was in his late teens to early twenties.

Back when he had been a hitman and murderer for the mafia.

Gently closing the bedroom door so that he wouldn't disturb April, he made his way into the living room and flicked open his phone and put it to his ear and immediately went cold inside when he heard the voice on the other end say, "We need you-"

Closing his eyes for a moment Casey struggled with himself, wanting desperately to close the phone then chuck it out the nearest window but instead took a shuddering breath and asked. "What's happened?"

"The boss was killed several days ago-"

_And? What the hell does that have to do with me? _Casey wondered when the voice on the other end of the line said. "The boss left you a package that is currently on it's way to being delivered to you. We need you to go to the airport and pick it up."

Casey narrowed his indigo blue eyes for a moment as he tried to think of what his former boss could have entrusted him with after so long. Especially since he had just up and left the orginization without any explination. So far he was coming up blank.

And so after a moment or so of deliberating with himself, Casey sighed and asked what time he needed to be at the airport. After being told that he had two hours to get ready and get there, the line went dead and Casey flipped his cell closed and grabbed a piece of paper and quickly wrote April a note telling her that he was sorry, not to worry about him- he would be fine.

But he wasn't sure if they would ever meet again. Not as long as he had loose ends to tie up.

Once that was done he ripped the paper from the small note pad and attached it to the fridge then wrote another letter to the turtles asking them to watch out for April for him.

He wanted to explain why he was going away to them. But deep down he feared that they wouldn't understand. So he didn't bother.

He merely told them what great friends they had been to him and that if he was ever able to come back- he hoped that he had his makeshift family to come home too. Ripping that note from the small notebook, he placed it under the note that he had written for April then got dressed, grabbed a jacket and his wallet and keys and slipped on his shoes and left.

He needed to hit his old storage locker before he went to the airport.

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The old storage locker that Casey used to hide his stuff in was over thirty minutes away from April's under the assumed name, Jonny Markham, and was the place he hid his weapons, emergency money, clothing- his pass port, blackmail materials on several gangs (what could he say? some habits died hard) explosives, and two vehicles.

A motorcycle and a sleek black SUV the size of a small tank with tinted re enforced bullet proof windows.

Unlocking the door to the storage locker, he slipped his fingers between the ground and the door and pulled the door open and reached out absently as he stepped over the threshold, and flicked on the lights.

Walking over to the clothing rack he kept in the far corner of the room behind the SUV, he quickly grabbed a black cotton shirt and a pair of leather pants to change into. Recalling how his former boss had used to rib him for not dressing as eloquently as his co workers.

Not that Casey had minded much. He had simply thought that dressing in silk was impractical of someone who was just going to get their clothing ruined by blood anyways. Which was why cotton was much better. You could pour a whole shit load of blood on the fabric and while it may never really come out completely- cotton was cheap so it was no big deal.

Shrugging off his jacket, he let it fall to the concrete floor and took the shirt he planned to wear, off of it's hanger and pulled it on over his head then checked his pants and shoes before deeming them okay and walked over to an old half mirror that he had hanging on the wall and pulled out a hair tie that he had stolen from April's stash before leaving home and used it to tie his long dark hair back in a ponytail away from his face.

Then grabbed a set of keys hanging next to the mirror, the keys going to the briefcase with some of his emergency money in it, and opened the case and pulled out what he thought he might need plus a few thousand more. Just enough for him to stay five or more steps ahead of whatever was going on while protecting the package.

Once he was done was that, he grabbed a waist length leather jacket and a duffle bag full of guns, knives and so on and put them in the SUV. He had forty something minutes now to get from his locker to the airport and it was best that he not be late.

One never knew who was watching.

Climbing into the SUV, he started to car and slowly pulled it out then got out again. Just long enough to re lock his locker before climbing back in and driving away.


	2. Chapter 2

Casey reached the airport just in time for his cell to ring for a second time and after checking the caller ID, picked it up and flicked it open to recieve his next set of instructions which were to pull around to where the private jets were. The line went dead again and Casey sighed and shrugged his shoulders then did as he was told.

He parked his car somewhere close to a luggage dock, as far out of the way as possible just as a small jet landed. Recognising the make, model and design of the jet as one that belonged to the orginization- Grabbing a knife and a pair of guns and several bullet cartridges, he strapped the weapons on and quickly shoved the cartridges into his jacket pockets.

And then got out of the car as the jet's door opened and a couple of guys pushed some steps over to the opening.

Walking slowly over to the base of the steps, he shoved his hands in his pants pockets and waited patiently as a familiar face peered out from the inside of the jet and looked right at him.

Evan Mason had been his best friend while he had been in the mafia. The two of them had joined together, trained, fought, and killed together for close to five years before Casey had left. So to say that Casey was surprised to see him after such a long time, especially given the circumstances, would be an understatement. "Evan." Casey said, his blue eyes lighting up.

Evan smiled and gave him the usual greeting of, "Yo man, long time no see." With a pleasant smile as he walked down the steps and shook hands with Casey who looked the blonde man over and noted that he was still into wearing old fashioned pin striped suits.

Just like those guys that had been in the documentary of the mafia, Evan was an old school type of guy. "Yeah, it's nice to see you too Ev." Casey said with a small smile before looking around and wondering where the package was. Evan cleared his throat to regain his attention and looked up at the jet for a moment before saying.

"I wanted to explain some things to you about the package you're picking up-" Casey looked back at him, silently trying to will him to get this over with. Evan took the hint. "Long story short Casey, the boss had a kid. You know a year or so after you left us." _A year or so after the carnage that made you leave us- _Hung unsaid in the air between them.

Casey did his best to hide the shock that crossed his face but he probably did a shitty job of it since Evan half coughed half laughed. "After the carnage at Rattcliff manor, boss secretly married his girlfriend then sent her away to heal after what had been done to her by those bastards... Anyways they had a kid, but Monica died several weeks after giving birth in a shoot out between two wanna be gangs who thought they were real tough shit. They very nearly killed the baby too."

"The kid pulled through despite her wounds and the boss shifted all of his attention from work to raising her. I think that was part of what led up to his death, but I don't have the heart to say that to her. Though I think deep down she knows." Evan said, suddenly looking uncomfortable as he lifted a hand to rub his nape.

"To make a long story short Casey, you were the bosses right hand. He trusted you more than anyone in the world. So a few months ago after a particularly close call, he made a will stating that if anything should happen to him before his kid was twenty and ready to assume the reigns as the new boss- she would be handed over to _you_. Her new legal guardian."

Casey was silent as he digested the news before asking, "How old is she? What's her name?"

"Her name is Alice. She's seventeen."

"Then I only have to watch out for her for the next three years." Casey said, his tone belying his relief. Evan looked at him strangely then said,

"Listen to me very closely Casey. Even if it's just three years, if you have someone important that you wanna protect- you can't see them again until we take her back overseas. The next three years will be full of attempts on her life as well as yours. But most of all I need you to know that you won't be doing this alone. Alice knows how to fight, and myself and two others will be in the city should you need us. We also have a few doctors setting up a clinic not far from Central Park."

Casey nodded in understanding as Evan looked back at the jet and stopped talking. Curious, Casey turned his head and looked too. Just in time to see a young lady with a mid back length raven black curls and wide teal eyes stepped off of the plane dressed in a white turtle neck and faded to white jeans.

"Alice?" Casey asked in a whispered tone.

Evan looked away from her and nodded his head. "Yeah... That's Alice."

Casey felt his lips curve up a little bit as he looked her over as old memories of his former life played through his mind before he said, "She looks just like the boss did at seventeen."

Evan looked at him, his expression curious as he asked. "How would you know what the boss looked like when he was seventeen? We didn't meet him until he was in his mid twenties."

Casey snickered at his friend and said, "I saw a picture once-" And Evan's jaw dropped and he shoved Casey and growled.

"Bastard! No wonder the boss gave you whatever you asked for. We just thought it was because you were his favorite or something but in fact you had made him your bitch!"

"Dude... Wrong," Casey said as he thought, _'Too soon Evan. Way too soon.' _Besides anyone who had known their former boss knew how indulgent the man had been with his people. Even his hitmen. "Now introduce me to Alice."


	3. Chapter 3

**_I'm beginning to think that my stories suck or something..._**

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_A few hours later-_

Casey stood in the doorway of the two bedroom loft he had rented to hide himself and Alice in, his eyes staring at the girl sleeping on the queen sized bed hanging from the thick chains suspended from the ceiling. He couldn't believe how soundly the kid could sleep knowing that she was in the hands of a total stranger.

Hell if he had been in her place- He would have been tearing the walls down with his bare hands.

But no, Alice seemed a mite more... What was the word? Serene? Composed?

No, that wasn't exactly it either. It wasn't so much that she was serene or composed, he had noticed when Evan had first introduced them that he had been able to all but smell the fear and uncertainty clinging to her. Again, no. It was something else entirely. A personality trait that she possessed. Something that was unnameable.

_Something inherited from her father no doubt. _Casey thought as he quietly moved back and closed the bedroom door and made his way to his own room and shrugged off his jacket then pulled his shoes off then flopped down on the bed with a soft groan.

It was well past seven a.m now. Meaning that his wife was probably already in the sewers telling the guys that he was gone. Sighing he muttered something inaudible and closed his eyes, his last conscious thought was that he hoped his wife and friends stayed far away from him for the next three years.

He'd never be able to live with himself if anything happened to any of them.

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April sat on the couch, her long red hair hanging over her slender shoulders as she rocked herself back and forth. Her face wet with tears while her friends tried to calm her as she continued to sob. _"Why? Why would he do this?" _

The turtles exchanged an uncomfortable look as Splinter brought April a glass of water and pressed it into one of her shaking hands. She looked up at him for a moment, her eyes blank. Listless. Lifeless.

And Leo knelt down in front of her and gently placed his hands on her shoulders and said. "Don't worry April. Wherever Casey is, we'll find him and bring him home." The others nodded somberly with the exception of Raph who made an angry _tsking_ sound and quickly left the group to make his way to the lair door where he disappeared before anyone could say anything.

Leo sighed and after giving April a kiss on the forehead, stood up to his full height and looked at his master and said, "I'll go make sure the hothead stays out of trouble."

Splinter nodded his head and replied somberly, "That would be most appreciated Leonardo." Leo bowed his head to his master then vaulted over the couch and headed for the stairs after Raph.

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_Fury._

It crawled through his veins until it spread throughout his entire being. Fueling the fire that drove him through the sewers as fast as he could go. _How dare he- _How dare that bastard reduce April sto such a state in her delicate condition and not even leave behind an explination. It was wrong. No scratch that, it was worse than wrong.

It was _dishonorable_.

It went against everything he and his brothers had been taught growing up, but then he was constantly forgetting that Casey wasn't really one of them. Not like April was. She had been around ever since they had been punk kids. Casey hadn't come crashing into their lives until they were well into their early to mid twenties.

And he had been good about always protecting the family and April. Which was why Raph didn't understand- How could this have happened? Surely there would have been warning signs? Something to pick up on. But there had been nothing.

No indication that he had been unhappy. No indication that he hadn't wanted to be around them anymore. Just...

_Nothing._

And that was what infuriated and hurt him so much. The human that he had considered his brother, his best friend, his _partner in crime_- had left them all behind as if they had been nothing more than strangers passing in the night.


	4. Chapter 4

He didn't bother sleeping that night, choosing instead to work off some of his excess energy through pacing back and forth and cleaning his gun. It was only at about seven or so in the morning that he realized the sun was coming up and Alice would be awake soon.

Walking into the kitchen that he had put together last night with Alice's help after they had returned from grocery shopping. Casey opened the fridge and took out the eggs milk and a few other items, and then closed it again and moved to the counter where he gently laid everything out where he could see it before turning his attention to getting a frying pan from the shelf over his head.

Pulling the plastic off of it, he then set it on the stove and opened up the egg carton and cracked a few eggs before remembering that he should have heated the pan first. Turning the stove on, he then stepped a little bit to his left and grabbed a glass and a plastic wrapped spatula.

Then returned to his place in front of the stove where he poured a glass of milk and started to go to work on unwrapping the spatula.

But it turned out that the plastic was stubborn. So after about three minutes or so he growled low in the back of his throat and brought it up to his mouth and started gnawing on it in an effort to weaken the plastic. _Whoever did this should be taken out and shot- five or six times. _He thought as he dropped the spatula away from his mouth just long enough to inspect the plastic.

Yup. Whoever wrapped the cookware should be shot.

He heard the bedroom door on the other side of the apartment open then quietly close and tensed up a little bit and quickly set the spatula down and looked for a knife knowing that Alice's food would burn if he didn't get that damned plastic off soon.

He was so engrossed in looking for a knife that he didn't really notice Alice had entered the kitchen until a small hand holding a swiss army knife came into his line of vision. "Here."

He looked over at her and blinked once before taking the knife and flicking it open with a softly muttered thanks. Once he was done, he flicked it closed and handed it back to her as he felt his face heat up. _And I'm the one supposed to take care of her- _He thought as he flipped the eggs before finally finding his voice.

"So, uh, did you sleep okay Alice? Was the bed comfortable enough?" He asked. Alice nodded her head and he quickly grabbed the glass of milk and thrust it into her hands and gave her his most charming grin. "Not much of a talker, huh? Well that's okay. I'm a little bit of a talker so if your good at listening- or at the very least pretending too. Then I'll talk until you tell me to shut up."

Alice took a sip of her milk and stared at him.

Something that Casey had learned about Alice last night was that she was a quiet kid. Somewhat shy at moments. And she could stare you down with a poker face better than Leonardo's.

Which was really saying something since Leo's poker face could scare even the most hardened of into pissing their pants criminals. He just had an abnormally strong presence about him. Alice was no different, though she tried to hide it.

When Casey looked into the kid's eyes and it was almost like he felt he was drowning. The pressure she gave off was intimidating. Even to someone like him.


End file.
